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Sensor unit and image forming apparatus

a technology of sensor unit and image forming apparatus, which is applied in the direction of electrographic process apparatus, instruments, optics, etc., can solve the problems of difficult to ensure the air flow through the sensor unit, the sensor unit is likely to be unstable, and the difficulty in stabilizing the sensor unit in the amount of air flow through the uni

Active Publication Date: 2021-01-12
CANON KK
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention aims to provide a sensor unit that can consistently manage the amount of air sent to the space between its detection surface and the moving part.

Problems solved by technology

However, in the case of a sensor unit such as the one disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2015-197559, that is structured to indirectly induct air from an external fan, the air discharged by the fan partially disperses in the air passage between the fan and the air intake opening of the sensor unit, making it difficult to stabilize the sensor unit in the amount by which air flows through the unit.
Therefore, the sensor unit is likely to be unstable in the amount by which air is made to flow into the casing through the intake opening, and flow out of the casing.
Therefore, it is impossible to ensure that air is flowed toward the toner particles scattered from the moving member, making it likely for the detection surface of the sensor to be soiled.

Method used

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  • Sensor unit and image forming apparatus
  • Sensor unit and image forming apparatus
  • Sensor unit and image forming apparatus

Examples

Experimental program
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Embodiment Construction

[0021]Hereinafter, referring to FIGS. 1 to 14, the present invention is described with reference to one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention. To begin with, referring to FIG. 1, the general structure of the image forming apparatus in this embodiment is described.

[Image Forming Apparatus]

[0022]The image forming apparatus 10 in this embodiment is a color copying machine which is capable of forming a full-color image with the use of one of electrophotographic methods. It is of the so-called intermediary transfer type, and also, of the so-called tandem type. The image forming apparatus 10 has multiple (four) image forming portions, more specifically, the first to fourth image forming portions (stations) PY, PM, PC and PK, which form yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) images, respectively. In this embodiment, the image forming portions PY, PM, PC and PK are practically the same in structure and operation, although they are different in the color of the tone...

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PUM

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Abstract

A sensor unit detachably mounted in a main assembly of an image forming apparatus includes a sensor for detecting a detection object on a surface of a movable member, the sensor having a detecting surface positioned to face the surface of the movable member at least when the sensor detects the detection object; a casing portion accommodating the sensor; an air feeding unit, provided in the casing portion, for taking air in through an inlet portion formed by the casing; and a duct for feeding the air discharged from the air feeding unit to a space between the detecting surface and the surface of the movable member.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART[0001]The present invention relates to a sensor unit which is used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printing machine, a facsimile machine, a multifunction machine having two or more functions of the preceding machines, etc. It relates also to an image forming apparatus equipped with a sensor unit such as the one described above.[0002]As a sensor unit for an image forming apparatus, there has been proposed such a sensor unit that has multiple sensors for detecting objects on a moving member, and a casing having openings, through each of which the detection surface of each of the sensors is exposed to the moving member (Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2015-197559). In the case of this type of sensor unit structured as described above, the casing is provided with an intake opening, through which the air in the main assembly of the image forming apparatus is inducted into the casing, and an air passage, through wh...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Patents(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G03G21/00G03G15/08
CPCG03G15/0848G03G21/00G03G15/5041G03G15/5054G03G21/206
Inventor TAJIMA, HIROTOSHI
Owner CANON KK